Contents
IEK FEATURE
IN THEIR OWN WORDS
Yvonne Mwangi .............. 10
Norah Magero ................. 12
Juliet Mumbua Muli ....... 14
Salome Gichia ................. 16
Nelly Yimbo ..................... 18
Maria Ongare ................... 20
Makena Ireri ..................... 22
Fatuma Mohamed .......... 24
Felistus Ayera Misiko ...... 26
Valentine Wanjihia ......... 28
Ng'endo Macharia ........... 30
Wendy Ombima ............. 32
Carolyne Kosgei .............. 34
REFERENCE MATERIALS
As a kid, I would tinker with anything that I could get my hands on. My mum would be horror-stricken whenever she found me on the sitting room floor, screwdriver in hand with disassembled parts of the television strewn across the floor. At that time, it all seemed like mischief but in retrospect, I was actually cultivating a natural curiosity to learn how things worked.
It took me many years to figure out how to translate this interest into a viable professional career. Later in form 3, my class teacher gave us an assignment to create a graphic poster of our career ambitions. The project really pushed me to reflect on the career that I truly wanted. After talking to friends and carrying out research, I finally decided on Mechanical Engineering because I loved Physics and at that time, my dream was to one-day work in Germany designing cars. Therefore, my poster was filled with cut out pictures of different cars like Mercedes and Bentley.
From primary up to secondary, I never really knew what I wanted to do and I used to be very hard on myself about it. Watching my friends being so confident in their choices made me feel pressured and concerned as to why I couldn’t make a decision. I’m sure many young people experience this at one point or the other and what I have come to realize is that this feeling of uncertainty and dread is completely normal.
Deciding on a career is not the be-all and end-all of life. One is not condemned to what career path they decide on in high school. Some people stick to their choices while others change it later in life. Either choice is totally okay.
It’s crucial not to let the opinions of others heavily influence your decision. It’s also important to let your passion and interests guide you. Yes, I know, it’s easier said than done, especially when you feel pressured by teachers and parents. Trust me, with time, you will figure it out.
Happy Reading!
3
Marian
Muthui